Jomboi8
02. The Studio
Line by line,a likeness.
Based in
Kisumu, Kenya
Medium
Ballpoint pen, colored pencil, ink
Focus
Portraiture & illustration
Signature
Jomboi8
"I work mostly in ballpoint pen, a cheap, unforgiving tool that leaves no room to hide a wrong line."
I work mostly in ballpoint pen, a cheap, unforgiving tool that leaves no room to hide a wrong line, which is exactly why I like it. Cross-hatching, patience and a lot of ink are what turn a blank page into a face, a room or a small moment.
It actually started in a university lecture hall out of pure boredom. Ballpoint pen was the only thing within reach, so I started doodling in the margins of my notes instead of taking them, and I never really put it down after that. Portraits are what I kept coming back to, because getting a likeness right forces you to actually look at someone instead of just glancing.
Right now I'm easing into commissions more seriously alongside a day job in software and machine learning, which is part of why I'm keeping the numbers small: each piece still needs the attention it deserves. Portraits are where I want to keep growing, and I'd also like to make more room for conceptual pieces, the ones built purely to say something rather than to look like someone.
"A Mentor in Scarlet" · Dual-tone blue and red ballpoint pen on paper
Growth
Same habit.Different results.
I still draw the way I always have: a pen, a page and however much time I can steal for it. What's changed is everything I've put into that habit since. If you're trusting someone with a portrait, I'd rather you see the work behind it than just a highlight reel.
Then: a margin sketch, drawn out of boredom in a university lecture.
Now: "An Eternal Embrace," the same habit, a lot more practice later.
Delivered, in person
Real pieces, framed and handed over. That's what a commission with me actually looks like at the end.
Commission a Piece